Neighbours complained about waste being strewn across the pavement Photo: Ashford Borough Council –
Ashford residents have been reminded they have a duty to manage their household waste after a court case in which a 33-year-old Willesborough woman was ordered to pay a total of £1,265.60 in fines and costs.
The householder was due to appear before Folkestone Magistrates Court on 27 March to answer a charge of failing to comply with a Community Protection Order, contrary to Section 48 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
She failed to attend and so an application was made for the matter to be heard in her absence. This was granted and after the court heard details of the case, magistrates found her guilty of failing to comply with a Community Protection Order. She was ordered to pay a £250 fine, a £34 victim surcharge and £981.60 in costs. This total of £1,265.60 is to be paid to the court within 28 days.
The court heard that between March and June 2022 the woman failed to manage the domestic waste produced at her home, repeatedly contaminating her household bins with the incorrect waste. This continued despite the resident receiving advice from council officers on managing her waste recycling on numerous occasions. She ignored this advice, magistrates were told.
As a result, the council’s refuse services operator Biffa was unable to collect refuse from this address, resulting in the woman not returning her bins within her boundary and waste being strewn across the road. This led to numerous complaints from neighbours and raised environmental health concerns.
The woman was issued with Community Protection Warning (CPW) and given instructions on managing her household waste, which she ignored. This then escalated to the issuing of a Community Protection Notice, which she ignored and this led to a Fixed Penalty Notice being served, but she has failed to pay the £100 penalty, hence the decision to prosecute.
A spokesman for Ashford Borough Council said the authority takes recycling and household waste management very seriously so as to ensure that undisrupted collection service is carried out across the district.
“It is the responsibility of every householder to sort their household waste correctly and ensure that their household refuse bins are properly prepared for collection. Failures in this can lead to providers refusing to collect waste and a build-up of excess waste at a property.
“This may in turn lead to severe environmental issues and a detrimental effect on the local community. In these circumstances, where appropriate advice and warnings have been issued, Ashford Borough Council is forced to take legal action.”